Cinematograph apparatus.



L. KAMM.

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, I9I4.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. KAMM,

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATXON FILED MAR 24, 1914.

1, 165,5 1 3. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

fly. 2. 1 7

InvenZZr; L 60 Jf a 772m waauw' W L. KAMM.

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24, 1914.

1,1 65,5 1 3 Patented Dec, 28, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. KAMM.

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24, 1914.

I Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

E l fnvenZ'ar Zea Kamm L. KAMM.

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24, 1914.

1 1 65,5 1 3 Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

2;; [a I l fy/Z Fg/ZQ Q! I [F Zea K6177 7 I72 vezzza L. KAMM.

CINEMATOGRAPH APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1914.

1 165,51 3. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

rrrrsn STATES PaTnnT LEO KAMM, 0F LONDGN, ENGLAND.

GINEMATOGRAPH Application filed March 24, 1914-.

at any moment and held without risk ot "damage either to the film or to the apparatus one especially without risk of firing the film.

Other objects and features of the inven-- tion will appear hereinafter.

The invention comprises a special construction and adaptation of the shutter and shutter chanism whereby the rotation of the shu I 7. keeps the illni sufficiently cool.

lt also consists in constructing the cinematograp i projector in such a manner that the sh can be rotated independently of a driving m chanism.

invention also coinpr ses lhe i whereh the film can be temporarily stopped at any des ed moment.

means The is ention also comprises means whereby the iilm rivingr or the film feeding mechanism is automatically arrested if the film br cits, without however arresting the shutter which continues to rotate and keep the film in the cooled if the breakage has occ ed below the film gate.

loco-iv ing to said invention construct the said shutter so that it can also serve as a fan hereby a current or blast of air is on the film to keep cool noticing the heat to which it is subjected by the rays from the source of light in the projecting lantern,

he shutter driving mechanism is preferably connected to the motor or other driving mi 5 directly so as to onerate al the time the )aratus is at work and 1 de- DQI1(l{1 of thei'ilin driving; mechanism. The film driving mechanism however is so connected with its driving means that it shut mechanism from the drive so that 1 v 1: th-

cc arrests whenever desires.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 28, 1915.

Serial lilo. 825,996.

and that the combined shutter and fan'will at such times go on revolving, the film being kept cool by the airblast projected against it by the fan.

The invention will now be described more fully with; reference to an example thereof shown by way of illustration in th accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a cineniatograph apparatus embodying the features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; 3 is a sectional side elevation of the shutter and film driving mechanisms; Fig. t is a detail showing the safety shutter; Fig. 5 is a side eleva-. tion of portion of the device shown in Fig; 4; Figs. 6 and 'l are views in planes at right angles to each other showing certain details of the shutter and film mechanisms; Figs. 8 and t" are detail views in planes at right to each other of the preferred form of shutter; Fig. 10 is a sectional side elevation of the gate onening and closing device; 11 is a section taken ELP'QIO Yimately on the line fill--11 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a detail of the door plate with one of the runners removed; Fig. 1% comprises two views in planes at ri nt angles to each other of one of the aforesaid runners; Fig. 13 shows in section certain details of the gate devices; Fig. 1% represents diagram means for controllin from a inaticaily a mode of adjusting the appsratus forces ering the n the gate; and Big. 16 shows certain QlQllftliS for the elimination of ghosts.

in the said drawings a represen 'over which the film Z1 passes, a i ing in said gate over which the from the projecting lante (not shown) is projected, and c the lens through which the light passes from the to the screen, which arts of usual construction but possess certain new details hereinafter described (Z is the rotary shutter for intercepting the projected lightrays when the film b is moved and which is of the semi-disk form. This shutter preferably comprises two or inorehlades (Z d which preferably overlap as shown in Figs. 2 or 8 but which may instead be aced apart as shown in dotted lin s 6. The blades d are slightly twisted to their axis so as to form a fan so that when rotated in the usual manner in the direction of the arrow it will direct a current or blast of air on to the front surface of the film and so prevent the latter getting detrimentally heated by the projected rays of light from the lantern. llnstead of a number of blades T may employ a solid semi-disk, or single segment which semi-disk or segment may be twisted to form a fan. Tn cases where therotary shutter is not in the immediate vicinity of the film an additional shutter constructed to act as a fan in the manner above described is employed close to the film. Tt will be understood that this part of the invention may also be applied or adapted to projectors in which an ordinary shutter is used, by

fitting an auxiliary fan'of the kind above fitted in front of or behind the film. Where the film gate opens at the back of the film such fan will be fitted in front of the film. Where on the other hand the gate opens at the front of the film, such fan will be fitted at the back of the film. There is a particular advantage with the latter position inasmuch as there will not only be the current of air directed on to the film, but the blades of the fan will themselves cut off an appreciable amount of heat which normally falls upon the film.

The fan shutter is driven from a pulley which is connected by a belt with the motor, said pulley being geared with the fan shutter by gears e e (one'of which may be integral with the pulley) at a sufficiently high speed to keep the film in the gatesufficiently cool. llf desired the shutter may be rotated twice or three times the normal speed or even faster, according to the strength of the projecting light, and the amount of cooling necessary.

The shutter driving mechanism and gearing is connected with the film driving gearing by a clutch or othersuitable means. Tn the example illustrated there is employed a clutch, adapted to be disconnected whenever desired so that the film and film driving gearing may come to rest but leaving the shutter'rotating and keeping the film cool. The clutch illustrated comprises a springreturned sliding pin or key 7 adapted normally to project through a hole e in the pulley e and its integral gear 6, and lock same with a disk 9 fast on the film-driving spindle g. Said pin or key is returned into locking position by its spring i when rein antile P which may be a hand lever suitably positioned for direct control by the operator, or it may be operated through Bowden wire mechanism or from a distance by the lec-' turer or other person by electromagnetic means. The latter method is diagrammatically represented in Fig. 14 and is particularly useful for enabling the clutch to be operated from the lecture platform by the lecturer. .Such an arrangement as shown comprises an armature f pivoted at one end to a fixed point and at its other end to the clutch pin 7 and adapted to be actuated by an electro-magnet it the coils of which are in a circuit comprising a source of current 71, (which is represented as a battery but which may be any convenient source such as the town main) and switches h h which as shown are connected in parallel, the former being under the control of the lecturer and the latter under the control of the operator so that either of these persons may stop the film whenever desired.

Means are also provided whereby the clutch f is automatically disconnected if the film b breaks. Such means comprises what is herein termed a feeler, namely a device which remains in touch with the surface of the film all the time and is sensitive or responsive to the absence of the film in its immediate vicinity in the event of the film breaking. Such sensitiveness of the feeler may either be electric, affecting the making of a contact, or mechanical involving some slight mechanically transmissible movement,

of the feeler. In the selected example the feeler is a jockey roller-hof metal, runnin on the film and connected in circuit witi the clutch mechanism but insulated from the machine frame. The shutter may be driven by hand or by motor.

It will thus be seen that the shutter mechanism is driven directly from a motor but that the film driving mechanism is driven through'the clutch connection. On disconnecting the clutch therefore the shutter will spurt forward, and if necessary the speed withstanding that it is relieved of the loadv of the film drive; consequently its speed will immediately increase very materially and the speed of the fan will similarly increase so that while the film is stationary-which IS the dangerous periodthere will be projected against it a much greater air blast than is necessary when the film is running.

Tfnecessary a driving handle can be arranged on the film driving mechanism and this handle can be grasped when the clutch is disconnected to facilitate stopping the film and film driving mechanism. This same handle can also be used independently to drive the machine by hand, the shutter cZ being then rotated through the clutch connection. @n reconnecting the clutch it may be advisable to start the film driving mechanism by hand in order to save the strain or jerk on the clutch by bringing the filmdriving member g up to approximately the speed of the shutter driving member 6 before the clutch pin 7 snaps into engagement. The handle 2' in connection with the filmdriving mechanism may be. mounted on a ratchet 2" or other free wheel connection to obviate its revolving while the mechanism is working. This connection will also provide means to move the film feeding "mechanism slightly after disengaging the clutch to bring a picture central in the gate, and may also include a back turning brake or its equivalent to assist the stopping of the film-driving mechanism.

The usual safety shutter shown at j, is adapted in connection with the shutter mechanism; but according to the present invention said shutter j is centrifugally controlled and drops to out off the light from the film if the shutter should slow down below safety speed. Such centrifugal control in the example selected for illustration comprises a sleeve j which is keyed on the shutter spindle 7' and is also slidable thereon. Said safety shutter is mounted loosely on the spindle j in such a manner as to fall very freely by gravity into its vertical position. @n one side of said Sl'llltlIGI'rlS a leather or other frictional disk 7' carried by a rotatable but not slidable sleeve j which loosely surrounds the spindle 7' On the other side of the shutter there is a leather faced or like frictional clamping disk j which is carried by the sleeve j and normally is out of contact with the" shutter j.- A heavy centrifugal ring 3' loosely surrounds the sleeve. 7" but in a plane tilted at an angle to the axis of said sleeve; and said ring is pivotally connected with the sleeve j by trunnions 7' extending from-said sleeve at right angles thereto. The ring j -is held in its tilted position by an arm j extending axially from a nut j fixed on the outer end of the spindle j and bearing against the outer face of the centrifugal ring j all as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The ,non-slidable sleeve 7' is connected with the shutter driving mechanism so that so long as the shutter is revolving at the requsite speed the centrifugal ring j revolving rapidly with the spindle 7' will tend to erect itself thereon, that is to say it will tend to turn about its trunnions j into a plane perpendicular to the axis'of the spindle with the result that the ring j bearing forcibly against the arm j will press the sleeve j against the safety shutter j which is'thereby clamped between the two disks j and 7' and consequently revolves with the spindle j. After having turned through a sufficient angle the safety shutter is prevented by a stop 7' suitably located, from moving farther, and said shutter accordingly remains stationary in a raised position as shown in Fig. 4.

The shutter mechanism may be connected to picture centering mechanism of any suitable kind such for instance as described in British specification No. 7815 of 1910 whereby the relative position of the shutter is automatically adjusted during any adjustment of the film drivingsprocket to center the picture on the screen.

The projector lens carrier, indicated at (Figs. 10 and 11) is mounted in connection with the door which is necessary for clamping the film and which must open between the film and the projecting lens. As is well known, the film passes between the so-called gate, which is fixed and the door which is movable.

a indicates the gate and Z the door. The door Z which opens with a parallel action and slides upon the two parallel rods m'm is so constructed so as to take with it the lens carrier 70 on two tubes Z Z which are mounted with the door Z. In order to enable the lens to be focused and adjusted as required the lens carrier is mounted on a sleeve 7" slidable on one of the tubes Z with means such as a'thumb screw 70 for clamping them in adjusted position thereon. By this method it is clearly seen that the necessity for moving the lens relatively to the door when inserting films is obviated, as the lens retains its position relatively with the door whether the latter is open or closed, and need not be re-focused. By the above arrangement also it is possible to bring the lens close to the filmfor focusing which is necessary in some cases where pictures are projected at a short range and a large image is required.

In the example shown the door Z has attached thereto a tension spring Z (or springs) the farther end of which is secured to a convenient fixed point in such a manner as to tend constantly to pull the door away from the gate, as shown in Fig. 10, such tendency being resisted while the film is in use by a hand operable latch n on the door which engages a fixed stud 0 on the gate, said latch being acted upon con: stantly by a spring n which keeps it in en gagement with said stud.

Upon the door Z, at that part thereof where the film passes over it, is a mask plate 72 having a new and valuable feature which is shown in detail in Figs. 12 and 12 The surface wear upon the mask plate caused by the rapid passage over its surface of thousands of. feet of running film would be very ,considerablell therefore arrange that the film shall not touch the'mask plate itself, for; which purpose I provide runners g g at or near the edges of said plate. Such runners however are subjected to very'considerable wear and if made a part of the plate would effect no saving as the plate itself would have to be scrapped when the runners were worn. l accordingly make said runners removable, and for this purpose I provide them with means for readily engaging and disengaging the mask plate.

Such means in the example shown comprise hooked ends 9" which engage in notches p in the edges of the mask plate 79.. llt is only necessary therefore, when the runners 9 have become worn, to remove them and substitute others, which operation can be performed in a moment.

The gate a is also provided with wear preventing devices which in this, instance comprise spring controlled and adjustable skates r r. These skates are at one end loosely connected to the gate a by screws r allowing them a sufficient backward and forward movement.

It is necessary that the skates r r should,

however adjusted,.exert exactly equal pressure upon the film when the door Z is closed. I therefore provide a single adjustment device which acts-upon them both and which has exactly equal influence upon them both and on the whole of their length. An example of such a device is shown in Figs. 2, 10 and 13 and'comprises a spring plate 8 behind the gate and at its lower"end hearing against the latter fulcrum-wise, and a spring 8 acting upon said plate with a screw or nut s for adjusting the pressure of said spring. The spring plate 3 has two lugs or the like 8 which extend into the opening a in the gate and bear centrally against the rear sides of the skates r r so that as said plate 8 is pushed inward or allowed to retire outward bythe screw or nut s the skates r will correspondingly be pushed outward from or allowed to fall inward toward the gate a and consequently will come into closer or lighter contact with the film, asthe case may be.

Means are provided whereby When-the film is shifted in the gate window for the purpose of centering it in said window such act of centering the film will be accompanied by corresponding movement of the whole of the film feeding mechanism and of the shutter carrier about a common center so that these parts may remain in proper mechanical connection with each other. The act of e on said" spindle e piece t centering will also be accompanied by a momentary acceleration or retardation of the shutter according to whether the centering shift of the film takes place in the direc- 'tion of the films run or in the opposite direction. The reason for thus increasing or decreasing the speed of the shutter at such moments is that a momentary increase or de crease in the speed of the film then takes place, and therefore, as the speed of the shutter is nicely proportioned to the speed of the film, the proportion should be maintained even during'the period of adjustment, momentary as that period is, otherwise the eyes of the spectators suffer a corresponding disturbance which is quite appreciable and highly unpleasant. Such a device 18 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 15, in which 25 denotes a lever fulcrumed at If concentric with the disk 25 that operates the Maltese cross'u. and carrying the spindle of the film feed roller u and Maltese cross '22. At itsouter end said lever is connected by a train of connections, including a bell crank 25 and a yoke piece i with the shutter spindle 7' in such a manner that when the lever 25 is moved in one direction or the other the small pinion e mounted on said shutter spindle will be'carried thereby planet-wise a short distance around its companion gear wheel 6 i which drives it, such planet movement being made either in the same direction in which the pinion is rotating to accelerate same. or in the opposite direction to retard it. The yoke piece 17* carries the shutter spindle 7' with its pinion e and is pivoted about the spindle e of that gear wheel 0' which meshes with the pinion e 1 For obviating what are known technically as ghosts there is provided a device for slightly shifting or adjusting the shutter 03 so that leakage of light through the gate will be prevented. Such a device in the example snown acts upon a pin at or near the outer end of the yoke piece t (that is to say that end thereof which is remote from the spindle 9' and serves to turn said yoke piece slightly in one direction or the other about the spindle a so as correspondingly to carry thdsp'indle j and pinion e a slight distance, planet-wise, about the gear wheel For this purpose there'is interposed between the pin i and the outer end of the yoke piece 25% an eccentric a which is rotatable about the pin 5' and mail has its bearing in the outer end of the yoke Surrounding the eccentric o is a strap 4) carrying, or as in the illustrated example formed integral with, a connecting rod 21 which is jointed as its farther end to any convenient fixed point w. Around the upper are or crown of the,strap o is a series oi ratchet teeth 'v with which engages a spring-pressed pawl or dog a slidably carried by socket '0, which. socket is mounted lac fast with the eccentric. The ratchet teeth '0 are of equal pitch on both sides so that the pawl 41 can ride over them in both di rections and will successively snap into engagement with each tooth as it passes. over. The socket 41 carrying the pawl 22 serves as a hand lever for adjusting the device and when turned in one direction or the other will correspondingly turn the eccentric i2, and as the connecting rod '0 is rigid in length it follows that the spindle and with it the outer end of the yoke piece i will thus be raised or depressed slightly 'while the inner end-0f said yoke' piece and with it the shutter spindle 7' will be correspondingly depressed or raised, being carried slightly around the adj acentgear wheel 0 which will slightly turn the pinion e and its spindle j lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, driving means, means for drivingly connecting said shutter with the driving means, film feeding mechanism, means for driving said film feeding mechanism, and means for disconnecting said film feeding means from its drivin meaiis without disengaging the shutter driving-connection.

2. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, a motor, means for drivingly connecting said shutter with the motor, film feeding mechanism, means for driving said film feeding mechanism, and means operable from a distance for disconnecting said film feeding means from its driving means with out disengaging the shutter driving connection.

3. In a cinematograph apparatus the com bination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, driving means, means for driv-' ingly connecting said shutter with the driving means, film feeding mechanism, means including a clutch for connecting said film feeding mechanism with the drive, electroma netic means for throwing out said clutch an means for controlling said electro-magnetic means.

4:. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, driving means, means for drivingly connecting said shutter with the drivof the film.

5. In a oinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to the air blast, driving means, means for drivingly connecting said shutter with the driving means, film feeding means, means including a clutch for drivingly connecting said film feeding means with the shutter mechanism, a feeler and means responsive to said feeler for disengaging said. clutch in a predetermined eventuality.

6. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, a spindle, a gear on said spindle gearing with said shutter,'film feeding mechanism, driving means therefor on .said spindle, and a clutch carried by said spindle and adapted to connect and disconnect the shutter drive and the film feed.

7. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutter constructed as an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an airblast, driving mechanism for said shutter, film feeding means, a motor common to the shutter drive and the film feed, means for regulating said motor, and means independent of the motor regulating means for disconnecting the film feed from the motor and so reducing the load of the motor but without disconnecting the shutter drive and without reducing the power of the motor.

8. In a cinematograph apparatus the combination of a shutterconstructed as-an air fan or impeller for subjecting the film to an air blast, a power motor, means for drivingly connecting said shutter with the power motor, film feeding mechanism, means for drivingly connecting the film feed with the power motor, means for disengaging said connection of the film feed, and hand operable means independent of the motor drive for driving said film feeding means.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEO KAIWM.

Witnesses:

ALBERT MOND, H. D. JAMESONZ 

